Season 2010 - Official AFL Website of the Brisbane Lions Football Club

Tony Kelly - Chairman

Tony Kelly was elected Chairman of the Brisbane Lions in February 2006 having served the previous five years as Deputy Chairman of the Club.

Tony brings his strong business acumen and steerage to the Board from his legal background, with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Queensland.

He has been actively involved in the fresh produce industry for more than 20 years and is currently Deputy Chairman of the Brisbane Markets and a Director of the Gladstone Ports Corporation.

His other long term industry roles include company directorships of both the Australian and Queensland Chamber of Wholesalers.

A home-grown Queenslander educated at Nudgee College, Tony is married to Louise and has three daughters.

Tony was elected by the members to the Lions Board in February 1999 and appointed Deputy Chairman in February 2001. Tony has since been re-elected in 2002, 2004 and 2007.

Angus Johnson - Deputy Chairman

Angus Johnson took on the position of Brisbane Lions Deputy Chairman after Tony Kelly succeeded Graeme Downie as Chairman in early 2006.

Angus is a joint Managing Director of Citimark Properties - a leading international property developer and investment company.

He was elected to the Lions Board in February 1999 at the start of the Club's most successful era and has since been re-elected by the members in March 2002, February 2004 and December 2006.

A former Australian Rules Football player with Southport, Adelaide's Norwood Club and the University of Queensland, Angus has been involved with most areas of the Club's operations - especially football, marketing, membership and the search for new licensed premises since being elected.

The 48-year-old is married to Lindy and is father to Ben and Charlotte.

Graeme Downie OAM - Director
Retired September 2007
Returned May 2009

Graeme was unanimously endorsed by the Board as their Chairman in February 2000 following a year as Deputy Chairman.

He stepped down after six years in the role - which spanned the glory days of three consecutive AFL premierships from four Grand Finals - in late February 2006.

Graeme remained as a Club Director until late September 2007 when he retired to join the successful bid consortium for the Gold Coast Football Club's 17th AFL licence.

However, his immense passion for the Lions saw the welcome return of his superb business acumen and immense operational experience to the Board in May 2009 with this open letter to members and supporters explaining the situation:

I know that a number of members and supporters were confused with my involvement with the bid team for a second AFL licence in Queensland.

But I'd like to reassure all those people that my involvement was motivated by my love of our sport and what I saw as a great opportunity to accelerate the growth of AFL football in this state.

It is my strong view that the introduction of the second licence will boost the profile of AFL football to a level that could never be achieved with just one team.

As strong as Rugby League has been in Queensland, the South-East corner received a huge shot in the arm with the introduction of their second franchise - the Titans.

I believe the same will happen with us and I believe that in the medium to longer term, the Brisbane Lions will benefit as a result of the introduction of the second team.

So, whilst I was happy to receive the AFL's invitation to help the team led by John Witheriff to achieve an AFL licence, I baulked at the prospect of joining the Board of the new Club.

I've barracked for no other team since 1987 and I've rarely missed a Lions game.

Whilst I obviously enjoy my involvement with football and I have a passion to grow the game in Queensland, I will always want the Brisbane Lions to be the dominant Club in this state and for that matter, in Australia.

Laurie Serafini - Director

Laurie Serafini is a former Fitzroy full-back and current Life Member who was recruited from Victoria's famed Assumption College Kilmore.

Laurie played 146 games for Fitzroy from 1977-88, serving as their Vice-Captain in 1980-82 and representing Victoria three times before serious knee and back injuries cut short his AFL career.

He was also nominated for the full-back position in the Fitzroy Team of the Century.

Following his playing days, Laurie became involved with the AFL Players Association and is a former committeeman of the Fitzroy Past Players' Association and a former Sunday Age newspaper columnist. 

Laurie is currently Head of Sport: Sales & Marketing with the Slade Group - a privately owned Executive Search company based in Melbourne.

Laurie was appointed to the Lions Board in February 1997 following the Fitzroy-Brisbane Bears merger and was elected by the members at the December 2006 Annual General Meeting.

He is married to Catherine and the father of three girls Isabella, Stephanie and Charlotte.

Linda Nash - Director

Linda Nash is a senior commerce and finance executive who became the first woman to hold a position on the Brisbane Lions Board in October 2002.

Linda filled a casual vacancy created by the retirement of long-serving Director Neville Blunt before being elected to the Lions Board with an overwhelming endorsement by the members in February 2003.

She has since been re-elected in December 2004 and December 2006.

Linda started her business career with the ANZ Bank in Brisbane and enjoyed a stint in Sydney with the Bank of Tokyo. She then spent a number of years with Brisbane-based merchant bank Graham & Company Ltd establishing their secondary mortgage market operations.

Since 1990 Linda has held various positions with Queensland Treasury and the Queensland Treasury Corporation, and is now a senior member of QTC's Major Projects Team.

She holds a Master of Commerce (Finance) Degree and also a Bachelor of Economics.

David Liddy - Director

One of Queensland's best known business captains, Bank of Queensland Chief Executive David Liddy was appointed to fill a casual vacancy on the Lions Board in October 2003.

David was later elected by the members in February 2004 and successfully stood for Club re-election in December 2005.

His credentials for the role are impeccable as the 57-year-old has been the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Queensland since April 2001.

During this tenure the bank has recorded a succession of record half-year and full-year profits and significantly increased its market capitalisation and total assets.

David has more than 40 years experience in banking including international postings in London and Hong Kong with his employer of 33 years Westpac.

He is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and sits on the Australian Bankers Association Council.

He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 for distinguished service to business and commerce in the Banking and Finance sector.

David is also a Board Member of the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, a Member of the QUT Council and Chairman of the Queensland Museum Foundation. He also joined the Federal Treasurer’s Financial Sector Advisory Council which provides advice on policies that will maintain an efficient, competitive and dynamic financial sector.

David obtained a Master of Business Administration from Macquarie University and completed an Executive Management Program at Michigan University in the USA.

Married to Chris, David has three children and is a proud grandfather of four.

Paul Williams - Director

Paul Williams was appointed to the Lions Board in September 2005 to fill a casual vacancy created by the retirement of long-standing Director Ben Macdonald.

Members soon entrusted Paul to this important position by electing him to the Board at the Club's Annual General Meeting in December 2005.

Paul holds both Bachelor of Arts and Law Degrees from the University of Queensland and practised as a corporate and commercial lawyer with Brisbane legal firm Hopgood Ganim for 17 years.

He ultimately became a Partner of that firm before joining Eastern Corporation as their Chief Executive Officer in August 2004.

Paul retired from that position in mid-2006 and currently consults to clients in the Queensland coal mining industry including Mitsui Coal Holdings. He was also appointed to the Board of the Brisbane Turf Club in early 2008. 

Originally from Leeton in south-west New South Wales and a VFL/AFL member since 1978, Paul has enjoyed a strong connection with football as a lower grade player and supporter.

The 44-year-old is married to Jill and they share a passion for racing and breeding thoroughbred racehorses.